The Stray Javelin
by DramaGeek2010
Summary: Everyone knows that Jack has died thousands of times. He gave a list whenever asked, but there is one that he mentioned at the end of time, that got a reaction from the Doctor, the stray javelin. But what if it wasn't as stray as he let on to be? Why would he call it stray, unless there was something underneath? And if he was asked, would he smile and say "Spoilers."?


Jack was walking through the streets of Cardiff, grumbling about the women of Torchwood. He didn't have money, and they knew it. He didn't want to work for people who hated the Doctor, but the money was still there.

Without warning, he walked into something very solid and very blue. He looked at the TARDIS in awe, and couldn't believe his luck. He walked up to the door and knocked, hesitantly. The doors swung open, revealing a tall, lanky man with shaggy brown hair, a square jaw, a tweed jacket and a bow tie.

"JACK!" the man cried, looking him over, "Looking at you! Last time you saw me, I left you on the Game Station, yes?"

"Who are you?" Jack asked.

"I'm the Doctor."

"No you're not."

"Yes, I am. I've regenerated. Twice, since you last saw me. You'll be meeting the in between me, too. But to say I'm sorry, what do you say to a quick adventure?"

Before Jack could reply, the Doctor had pulled him into the ship. Jack looked around the interior in awe. The Doctor began to rush around the console, setting the TARDIS into motion. Once they were in flight, the Doctor pulled Jack through the halls to a weapons room, where three people were sparring.

The first, and clumsiest, was a red-haired woman who wore jeans and a plaid button-up, holding a light sword, tightly. The second was a man, with brown hair, in jeans and a green t-shirt, swinging a long sword with expert skill. The final person of the trio was a woman with frizzy, sandy-colored hair. She wore brown leggings, with a long, tan shirt, held by a chocolate colored belt. She had a staff, and was calling out corrections to the other woman.

"Come along, Ponds, River!" the Doctor called. "We're on our way to Rome, 57 AD. Get changed."

An hour later, the five were walking through the market of Athens. Jack watched the others, observing their interactions. Soon enough their adventure was over, and they were back in the TARDIS. Jack had fallen in with the Ponds and River, easily. He'd found out the River was in prison, and the Doctor would break her out to take her on adventures, and that she had a Vortex Manipulator. He'd even held off flirting for most of the day.

Once back in the TARDIS, he couldn't help himself, and flirted with Amy, and she ignored his advances. He caught Rory glaring at him, and flirted with the Roman-clad man instead. He quickly bored with the pair, and set his sights on River instead.

He was a bit more obvious with her, touching her hair, stroking her cheek and grazing her hand with his fingertips. She would laugh and flirt right back, which only spurred him on. He ignored the Doctor's warning, smirking at how he shifted uncomfortably. He moved to kiss River, and she raised a finger, placing it on his lips.

"You're not my type, sweetie," she smirked.

She pushed passed him, but he grabbed her arm, tightly. She looked at him in alarm, trying to pull out of his grasp. Pain bloomed in Jack's chest, and he looked down, to see a javelin imbedded in his flesh. He followed what would have been the path the javelin would have taken, to see it intersect with Rory. Jack gasped, before falling to his knees, then to his back, his vision fading to darkness.

"You killed him!" Amy cried.

"Like you weren't thinking the same thing," Rory replied, defensively.

"Well, yeah, I was, but I wasn't actually going to do it."

"Oh, stop it, you two," the Doctor laughed, as he pulled the javelin from Jack's chest, tossing it aside. He moved over to the console, and guided the TARDIS back to where they'd picked Jack up. "He'll be fine in a few minutes. I guess this was what he meant when he said stray javelin."

"What do you mean, he meant?" Amy asked. "Rory just killed him."

"Wouldn't be the first time."

Jack gasped loudly, his hands shooting to his chest, crying, "The hell! That was a freaking javelin. What is wrong with you? I was just flirting."

"I told you your flirting would get you hurt one day, Jack," the Doctor laughed, extending his hand.

Jack took the offered hand, saying, "It's not like I was flirting in front of a jealous husband."

"Actually you were," River laughed. "But said jealous husband would never do anything for himself, so Rory took care of it for him. That and protective parents."

"What are you talking about?"

"This," the Doctor said, pulling River close to him, "is my bespoked psychopath, my charming murderous, and my lovely wife. And these," he motioned to Amy and Rory, "are her parents."

Jack looked between the two pairs, sighing, "The life of a time traveler."

"You have no idea," River laughed, walking Jack to the door. "I have to keep a diary to make sure I don't say anything he doesn't know yet, and vice versa, which you'll have to be careful of when you meet the other Doctor."

"So what?" Jack asked, stepping outside. "I can't say anything about this. If he asks, I say I was hit with a stray javelin?"

"Exactly."

"Alright, but tell me this. Why are you in prison? Who did you kill?"

River got a playful gleam in her eye, as she made a hushing motion, and said, "Spoilers."

With that, she closed the door, leaving Jack outside. He felt the wind rip around him, the wailing starting, but stopping abruptly. The door opened again, and the Doctor's head popped out.

"Oh, and I know you know I don't like Torchwood and all," he said. "I also know that you've been offered a job, since you know aliens and can't die. You need to take the job. It's going to be a while, but I need you to stick it out. I need you to change the face of Torchwood."

Again, the door closed, and the wind blew. The wailing of the TARDIS echoed through the alley, as the blue box faded from sight. Jack stared at the empty spot for a few minutes in confusion and shock, before he turned toward Torchwood. If the Doctor gave his blessing, then maybe he could take this job after all.


End file.
